Speaking in parliament yesterday morning, Education Minister Louis Galea said the college has given a special and important contribution to Malta’s vocational training. Dr Galea said the college had a great impact on those youths who did not see a future for their studies before the college opened its doors. He said that even though numbers have increased during the past three years, not enough was being done. He said that when compared to other European countries, Malta still lags behind in the number of 22-year-olds who would have continued their studies.

Dr Galea said that during the past three years, MCAST has prepared the necessary foundations and expressed his hope that during the next three years, the college will continue working on these foundations in order to improve.

Inaugurated in September 2001, the college has grown from a handful of employees to over 378 full-time staff members. The number of students attending the college are close to 4,000 while the day courses have increased from 31 to 65.

In October 2003, the college introduced the BTEC/MCAST Higher National Diplomas in areas such as Electrical and Electronics, ICT, Art and Design and Business and Commerce.

Dr Galea concluded by saying that what has been done so far was excellent but had to be done better in the best interest of those people the college can attract to continue their studies in an area which interests them.